Asian American Attitudes toward Weight | Asian American Poll

AA ATTITUDE TOWARD WEIGHT
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:06:58 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Assuming you are an Asian American, how important is weight in your assessment of a person's attractiveness?
It's a key element of attractiveness. | 57%
It's one of many factors I consider. | 39%
It's less important than other personal qualities. | 2%
I don't care about a person's weight. | 2%

Assuming you are an Asian American, which best matches your feelings toward your own weight?
I'd like to be 20 pounds lighter. | 20%
I'd like to be 10 pounds lighter. | 35%
I'm happy with my weight. | 28%
I'd like to be heavier. | 17%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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A few weeks ago, my Japanese friend and I were in a mall and I commented on the sudden craze of these "low-rider" jeans. A white girl that was sporting them stupidly asked her boyfriend, 'Do you think I look fat?' And he said, laughing, 'No, but you got a big ass!'

My friend was horrified...I was confused. Where was this "ass" at(??)

T seemed to agree w/the guy, that indeed, his girlfriend's somewhat wide backside and slight curve of hip qualified as her as having some "junk in her trunk." She even began bemoaning the jeans she wore, afraid that the petite cut was screaming WIDE LOAD across her butt.

I explained to her that a truly Big Ass was defined by thickness (how much it bubbles out from the back), firmness (if it is carried high on the back, meduim range --works best w/low-riders-- or sagging), and curvature (hips tend to be full and sensual).

What threw me was her relief. Like, 'Phew-- well, I'm glad I don't have an "ass," then(!!)'

I grew up in a culture where all these were Good Things. You got laughed back to into Last Sunday if you were caught wearing something form-fitting and your backside was flat. And in the Chest Department, don't even attempt low-cut tops if all you were doing was putting dents in them.

My friend is 5'4" 115 lbs and she is s****ing her way thru this "Popcorn Diet," convinced she has to slim-down pronto if she wants to fit in w/the young girls back home.

I think this is truly NUTZ(!!) When I was 129lbs( at 5'1"), no one could whisper 'diet' to me or they'd get the Smackdown.

Is there really such a huge culture divide when it comes to issues of Weight(?) What other groups belief in full, shapely women(?)

Not Everyone Can be Kate Moss...Not Everyone Enjoys Food Thru a Feeding Tube, either... www.Ebonyjade.Homestead.com/Home.html Sunday, October 14, 2001 at 15:10:25 (PDT)

To the AA men,

Height is important, but it's more important to build a solid physical base. I see so many AA guys brag about their height ("I'm 5'10", 5'11" yadda yadda..."), but they only weigh between 140 and 160. For those heights, that is quite unimpressive. (This is not a dig on guys taller than I am; I have no issues with my height.) I am a shade under 5'9", and I weigh exactly 175 pounds with a tiny amount of fat (Many guys say they weigh 200 pounds, but they almost alyways have have 10-15 pounds of fat on top of their muscle.). So I'm of average height, but more than solid in build. I think it would be better if we are stereotyped as a race of men with compact, lean, muscular bodies, rather than as a race of reed-thin, skinny, tall guys.
AM in kickass shape, and loving it. Saturday, October 13, 2001 at 17:00:36 (PDT)

I am an ABC, been here in the USA for all my life. I think Asians born in US are generally bigger, taller, and healthier than ones from their home country. The food in America is healthier and has more nutrients because they process it and it is also clean. But the food also has a lot more fat. I am 5'6 and 115 pounds, 16 years old. I am not fat, but not a toothpick. I'm very satisfied with how I look, I think I have all the curves in the right places and don't look like a starved homeless person or a pig.

ChineseGoddess Saturday, October 13, 2001 at 16:47:06 (PDT)

thanks for the responses, my weight kinda changes from 95-98 from day to day depending on the time. by the way, i do make it a goal to exercise for about half an hour daily. and i dont like milk, i wish i was taller, but milk DOES make u fat... all those lipids and yuck. i had a crazy phase about getting taller, and i drank milk for a year, and nothing happened! hehe, i'm the impatient kinda gal. i don't eat junkfood, i try to eat natural stuff, but today i was naughty and had burger king. i think we're all searching for the perfect bodies, or wish we had them, and i'm just looking for mine.
dieting girl Tuesday, October 09, 2001 at 17:15:49 (PDT)

true... Asian girls have nice slim bodies, but their tits are too damn small. Shame....
Another Asian Tuesday, October 09, 2001 at 03:48:05 (PDT)

hey 5'2 and not thin...
be careful about that dieting-- it's a slippery slope. Try to exercise more and make sure you keep your energy up. If you start feeling tired from your dieting, it's time to look at the balance of your food intake --be sure to eat enough iron (red meat, dark green veggies...)
chinese cdn girl Monday, October 08, 2001 at 07:01:15 (PDT)

I'm Asian guy and I think that some Asians are too thin! Especially girls with toothpick legs. They shouldn't starve themselves so much! They should eat more and work out so that they can be more filled out, and have fuller breasts, like white girls.
Chris Yoon Sunday, October 07, 2001 at 13:43:04 (PDT)

I'm 5'6 and am the 150lbs below -- I used to weigh 118lbs, and looked "good" (thin) but I was weak and tired all the time.

Having too low a body weight for your frame is not healthy, and even though any weight can be attainable, you probably shouldn't do it.

Besides, do you really want to spend your whole life watching what you eat, and thinking about it every minute of the day, only to have your own body reset itself to the weight it wishes it was the second you eat an extra bite?

I am 1st generation CBC. I am asian, but not of a small frame (except in the chest haha!)
big enough Wednesday, October 03, 2001 at 01:26:00 (PDT)

i am 15 and recently i started a diet. before, i was 5'2 and weighed around 102 pounds. i have lost 5 pounds, and i can't seem to lose more. before i started, everyone (!!) told me i was thin, but i kept seeing other girls who were so much thinner, and i set to change myself. i envied girls who ate as much as they wanted, but b/c of amazing genetics and metabolism, they stayed stick thin! i have a large *** for my body, and i've always felt SO self conscious about it. i'm trying to lose it...lose weight and be the equivalent of all those skinny girls.
5'2, 97 pounds, still not thin!! Monday, October 01, 2001 at 16:20:29 (PDT)

Alina,

Lemme guess, ur a Filipina? Hey, filipinas are naturally chubbier than most Asian women. It's probably b/c of that Spanish blood (like you said whites are naturally fatter than Asians, in general) So what? Embrace that. You will eventually learn to accept ur body, if not love it.
Take heart.... Monday, October 01, 2001 at 00:09:05 (PDT)

I am 5'8" and weigh 150. I'm cut, and quite muscular. I have the sleek, ripped build of Brad Pitt in Fight Club (I just wish I could have the chiseled features that he has). By American standards I would be just plain average, if not slightly under average. But in Asia and even some parts of Europe, I would be considered average or even above average (at least in build). I think America has a culture that is very obssessed about pure physicality, hence people have almost "superhuman" ideals of masculinity and muscularity. America is a nation obssessed about getting bigger and stronger, often to the point of absurdity. Asian Americans (since most of us are barely a generation or two removed form our motherlands) are naturally slimmer than white or black Americans, and that is just fine by me. Us Asian Americans definitely can hold our own against whites in Europe and blacks in Africa; it's just that everyone in America are just cattle that are pumped full of steroid-enriched foods that they get so big.
I'm more than happy with myself Monday, October 01, 2001 at 00:07:09 (PDT)

I personally prefer looking more like Kate Moss than Gabrielle Reese. Kate is simply more elegant, even when she's dressed like a slob. Clothes hang better on her too. The same goes for men. Slim men are so much more refined and sexy.

BTW, No one should assume that thin girls/women are necessarily powerless. Look at someone like Xhang Xiyi in 'Crouching Tiger' and 'RH2.' She's probably no more than 5'4" and 105 lbs, but she can kick serious butt!

But overall, I think women should not feel pressured to look one way or another. Just because I prefer to be slim doesn't mean that others don't have their own ideals. Just be yourself!

Asian Dominatrix Thursday, September 27, 2001 at 15:46:12 (PDT)

I think Asian females are naturally slimmer than whites and less muscular than blacks. We generally have smaller frames (and smaller breasts) and would look bizarre if we were too heavy. I'm slightly under 5'4 and 95 lbs and I don't think I look thin at all. We are probably just used to American/Western standards of weight, which is probably unnatural for Asians.
Chinese girl Tuesday, September 25, 2001 at 11:37:30 (PDT)

I'll take Kate Moss any day thanx.
Max da cat Tuesday, September 25, 2001 at 07:48:40 (PDT)

I'm 5'6" and 150lbs. But I look great! It's all muscle!! Weight doesn't mean a thing!

Health & Strength are gorgeous traits. Don't be a skinny wimp girls --who would you rather look like? Skinny Kate Moss, or strong Gabrielle Reese? (Just imagine the asian equivalents-sorry, can't think of anyone at this moment --we need more role models)
heavy but not fat Monday, September 17, 2001 at 17:46:27 (PDT)

Be who you would like to be.
JLo Thursday, September 13, 2001 at 00:20:13 (PDT)

i'm an asian girl around 5'2 and pivot around 107 lbs. I'm not on any diet, but I do work out. Very often, i become confused about my body. You see, I have both white friends and asian friends. When i'm with my white friends, I feel like a little girl. I have no curves on my hips and my boobs are like nothing compared to theirs. However, when i'm with my asian friends, I always feel wider and meatier. I feel like my thighs are too big and simply larger all over.
It's no wonder I am so insecure about my body.
alina Saturday, September 01, 2001 at 15:50:03 (PDT)

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